Posts Tagged ‘
sippy cup ’

Good god. I know they keep my child alive and out of harms way, but is it too much to ask that my sitters keep track of all her “stuff”? I’m talking sippy cups, snack traps, the play stroller, a soccer ball, her hat, to name a few. All of which have been lost–some, multiple times.

Granted, I’ve done it too. I’ve lost some mom-crutch items and been thoroughly scattered (see post). But then I pay the consequences and buy more, or whatever. And, I’ve gotten better on the scattered front.

But my problem is two-fold. Sometimes they don’t restock and reorganize the diaper bag. And leave dirty items in it. I’ve even put a checklist on the refrigerator. Yet, today, I was out with Fi. I went to get a diaper, only to find a dirty spoon, two dirty sippy cups and no diapers. And the playstroller and ball are missing too. I mean, isn’t this childcare 101?

I know what you’re thinking, find new sitters, idiot. And I may have to. Except that one of them gives me something a lot of others won’t: complete flexibility to book her at a moment’s notice. She is a college grad and very laid back. She hasn’t found a real job yet–which is to my benefit. And truth be told, I really like her. She cares deeply about Fia. And Fia adores her. And even though she loses more than my other sitter, it’s just been small things. And I honestly don’t think she’ll lose my baby. Plus, she just rocks. I can’t say it any other way.

The other one I use on Friday afternoons. She is a career nanny, paid no matter if you use her or not. But for me, since it’s just 5 hours a week, as long as I give her ample notice if I don’t need her, I don’t have to pay her. (It may sound crazy, but “pay or play” is the nanny culture in our neighborhood. They practically have their own union.) I know her from the neighborhood and have complete trust–at least in keeping Fia safe.

So here I sit on a Saturday morning, totally annoyed because I spent an hour texting one of them to track down Fia’s soccer ball and play stroller, both of which went missing on her watch. A neighbor had the ball, the stroller is still MIA, which means I need to go buy a new one. (BTW–Those things are like crack for tots. What’s up with that?)

My other sitter did offer last week after she lost Fia’s baseball cap–the only thing she will wear to keep the sun off her head–to pick up a new one. And I thought that was a really cool gesture.

But honestly, am I being a bitch here? Or do I have a point? Do I need to accept this as the price of doing business and keeping my tot safe? Does anyone have any ideas for me?

Before I waste any more time, I need to sign off. But thank you for letting me vent, because I kid you not, it infuriates me. Which probably means I’m overreacting.

Is it possible I am devastated over the loss of Fi’s snack trap? The little Tupperware-like container full of cheerios that she shoves her fist into? It’s become an extra body part, like Captain Hook’s hook. It goes everywhere with us. And it costs $8.00.

I know where I left it: on a mom date at the Time Warner Center. I am actually debating going back to get it. It’s an hour each way, and the roundtrip subway ride is $4.50. Is my time worth more than $3.50?

Logic would say no. The fact I’m even considering this has me worried. Is it because I’m stubborn and/or cheap? Or is it because as a child I was never allowed to waste or lose anything? Maybe both? I once sat at the table with a meatball in my mouth for an hour, refusing to swallow while my father refused to let me leave (I ultimately won, thanks to my mom stepping in). Once, when I lost a flip-flop in a lake, they made me wade to get it despite a snapping turtle warning. Nice. I really could blame my parents for this quirk of mine. But I don’t want Fi to grow up the same and then blame me.

“Mom, I missed the train home from college because I had to walk a mile to the bank to save the $2.00 ATM fee”….

She is already headstrong enough. My entire motivation for the snack trap was the stress in Mommy-Tot Yoga. As soon as I’d settle into Warrior One, she’d dart across the room, stick her grubby little fingers in another child’s trap, and cart away with it. I’d run over, apologize and drag her away, screaming (so much for the zen of yoga)…only to have the scenario repeat itself throughout the hour, leaving me stressed and short of multiple Downward Dogs and Sun Salutations.

I had a similar dilemma about a month ago. Fi flung her favorite sippy cup (one that I can only find online) somewhere in the park, unbeknownst to the sitter who was strolling her. I actually paid that sitter an extra $15 to stay while I went out and scoured the area for the $6 cup. Forty-five minutes into my scavenger hunt, I saw it sitting on a park bench. I twirled around victorious, holding it like a trophy, then raced home to get the sitter off the clock. Yes, mathematically, it doesn’t make sense. But somehow the thought of buying a whole new one—and waiting for it to arrive– just irked me.

In the case of the snack trap, my good friend who lives near the store that sells them went and bought me two. As thanks, I bought her lunch.

I think it comes down to knowing where to draw the line. And what’s extreme. I need to teach her the value of a dollar and how not to waste, but without forcing food down her throat or making her wade into dangerous waters. I’ll pick the ones that count. She’ll know that getting home to see her mom from college is far more important than saving $2. And in the meantime, for all my mom-crutch items, maybe I’ll just buy two. It will save my sanity and probably in the end, a few pennies too.

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About The Author

Jill Cordes thought she never wanted kids. But at the age of 39, after too much tequila in Mexico, she and her husband found themselves expecting baby #1. Her daughter, Fia Lily, was born in December 2009, and now Jill freely admits to eating her words. Two years later, after moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles and taking another trip across the border, she found herself with baby #2 (apparently she only gets pregnant abroad). Her son, Emmett Redmond, was born in January 2012. Read Full Bio